Tag Archives: Unconditional Election

This post is in the same theme as my last “10 Things” post (SEE HERE FOR ON THAT POST), except that this one is the EXACT OPPOSITE of the last one. Sometimes Calvinists remind me of Mormons. Now, I know that sounds insulting, but please let me explain. Mormons, often times, try to “hide” some of their more “hard to believe” doctrines from new converts or people they are trying to convert. They won’t talk about polygamy, the blood atonement doctrine, that Joseph Smith said that the “rest of Christianity” was apostate, that you could have your own planet someday, that God used to be a human being or that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

I see the same thing happening with Calvinists, a lot of the time. They rarely ever mention their “hard to believe” doctrines while witnessing to the lost, while preaching in the open air or in their prayers. They rarely ever talk about Unconditional Election or Unconditional Reprobation, on the streets. They rarely ever talk about Limited/Definite Atonement, while they are witnessing to someone. They rarely ever mention Irresistible Grace, while they pray.

Why is that? Are they ashamed of such doctrines? Do they not think that such doctrines are important? Do they really believe in them? In light of these experiences of mine, I have made a list of 10 things that consistent Calvinists SHOULD say, but usually don’t say. As with the last list, this list doesn’t include all Calvinists. There may be some Calvinists who would and do say these things. I couldn’t possibly include all Calvinists, since I don’t know all Calvinists and haven’t had an experience with all Calvinists. I am simply going by my extended experience with Calvinists, over the last 8 years or so.

In the last 8 years or so of dealing with Calvinists and Calvinism, I’ve found that many Calvinists are not very consistent with their theology. Of course there are some who are consistent with their theology, but they are few and far between. As I’ve debated with and attempted to reason with Calvinists, I’ve meditated upon things that they would say to me. There are many things that they really shouldn’t say, if they were consistent were their theology. Here’s a list of things that I don’t think a Consistent Calvinist should say:

1) “Jesus died for you” – They believe in the doctrine of “Limited/Definite Atonement” (the “L” of T.U.L.I.P.). This means that they believe that Jesus ONLY died for the “elect” – those that God chose for salvation, before He even began to create the Universe. Calvinists will also say that they don’t know who the elect are. If they don’t know who the elect are and Jesus only died for the elect, then they couldn’t possibly say this to ANYONE.

2) “God loves you” – Calvinists constantly cite Romans 9:13, in the hopes of proving “Unconditional Election” (the “U” of T.U.L.I.P.) – as I said above, this is the idea that God chose very few people for salvation and that He did this before He even began to create the Universe. Of course they twist this verse and commit eisegesis, since they are looking at Romans 9 through their “Calvinist eye glasses”. Yet, if the “U” of T.U.L.I.P. is correct and their interpretation of Romans 9:13 is correct, then there’s no possible way that they could say this to ANYONE.